The woman was trying to protect her dog. There are no details at this time as to where in town the incident occurred. The Board of Health office did report the contact happened at night.

The Board of Health received the report of the contact Thursday afternoon.

Health board assistant Patricia DiRenzo said the woman, who has not been identified, is "in good spirits."

She said the incident is "under investigation to determine what the situation is with the animal."

It is unknown if the coyote is rabid or was displaying any signs of the illness. In such cases where a contact occurs and a wild animal is not captured, bite victims are usually treated for rabies as a precaution, according to the health board. The woman is undergoing the treatment.

Board Chairman Debra Dunn said where there’s a wild animal involved, the animal control officer will not be able to positively identify the animal that bit the woman. In cases where the biting animal is a pet or is captured, they would be put into quarantine.

It is hoped the coyote was acting normally, since the incident happened at night when coyotes are active. Dunn said coyotes do view pets out in the yard as potential meals and it may be that the coyote was interested in the woman’s dog for that reason.

At this time, Dunn said, “the only thing I can recommend is that people stay away from wild animals whenever possible.”

"It you come in contact with them, if you’re bitten or scratched, seek immediate medical attention and report it immediately, especially if the animal is mangy or is acting suspiciously," Dunn said.